USA-Portugal Match Bests NBA Finals

The World Cup is moving into elite territory as a sports property on American television, as ratings for Sunday’s game between the United States and Portugal were the highest for any soccer game and reached more viewers than events like the N.B.A. finals or the World Series. Sunday’s game, which ended in a 2-2 tie after Portugal scored a late goal, attracted 18.2 million viewers on ESPN. The previous record, for the 1999 Women’s World Cup final, which was won by the United States, was 17.9 million viewers. That game was on a broadcast network — ABC — rather than cable television/New York Times. More here.

Question: Has soccer come of age in America?

Posted June 23, 2014, 1:24 p.m.

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